Amy Rattner Verified listing

Creating art is a meditation for me - a way to center my thoughts and feelings and dive into my imagination. Animals have always been my passion and each piece begins with a deep admiration for my subject. Sources of inspiration include a desire to express my connection to an animal via abstract expression, an animal’s role in its environment, or its mythological or spiritual significance in different cultures. My primary goals are to capture the unique spirit of my subjects and to convey my own inspiration, thoughts and feelings about them.

After starting my art practice in watercolor, I now work in acrylic, acrylic inks, collage and gold leaf. Working in layers helps me subtly reveal the history and evolution of a composition and furthers my ability to tell a unique story in each piece. I enjoy working with unconventional “tools” that I find throughout my home, as well as interesting papers I find in local stores. I love discovering new and different ways of mark making, whether in paint, ink, or through collage.  My style continues to grow as I discover new techniques, media, and sources of inspiration.

I have long admired  the work of John Nieto, David Hockney, and Henri Matisse as well as the contemporary wildlife artwork of Amy Lay, Julie Chapman and Rebecca Haines. Most recently, I have been mentored by Michael Azgour and his figurative abstract work has been very influential. Growing up near Monterey Bay in California fostered my love of animals and nature. Living in rural Woodside, California and spending extensive time in Santa Fe, New Mexico has reinforced my longstanding love and respect for animals and their role in local ecosystems and indigenous cultures.

Solo Exhibitions

• Featured Artist Exhibition, "Wild Connections," Viewpoints Gallery, Los Altos CA; April 2024
• Featured Artist Exhibition, "Wild Watercolors," Viewpoints Gallery, Los Altos CA; October 2017
• "A Whimsical Menagerie: Amy Storey Rattner Solo Exhibition," Pacific Art League, Palo Alto, CA; October 2015
• "A Whimsical Menagerie: Amy Storey Rattner Solo Exhibition," Marjorie Evans Gallery, Sunset Center, Carmel, CA; September 2015

Juried Exhibitions

• Pacific Art League, "103rd Anniversary Exhibition," November 2023 - January 2024. Juror: Daniel Garcia.
• Fusion Art, "9th Annual Animal Kingdom Exhibition” June 2024. Juror: Chris Hoffman
• Coastal Art League, "Anything Goes!” May-June 2024.
• Pacific Art League, "102nd Anniversary Exhibition," November 2023 - January 2024.
• “Slowpoke Fine Art of the West Show,” September 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. 2024 Jurors: Tom Burgher and Ezra Tucker.
• Pacific Art League, "Works on Paper," April 2023. Juror: Denise Howard.
• Fusion Art, "5th Anniversary Art Exhibition," November 2020-October 31, 2021. Juror: Chris Hoffman.
• Fusion Art, "5th Annual Artists Choice Exhibition," February 2020. Juror: Chris Hoffman.
• Fusion Art, "Into the Wild International Art Exhibition," October 2018-January 2019. Juror: Chris Hoffman.
• Pacific Art League, "Pacific Art League's 95th Anniversary Exhibition", Palo Alto, CA; September 2017. Juror: Jim Smyth.

Galleries

• Viewpoints Gallery, Los Altos, CA; October 2016-December 2018; February 2023-present.
• UGallery; October 2018-February 2023.
• WOW! Gallery; Santa Fe, New Mexico; March 2020-January 2022.
• Art Bias, San Carlos, CA; September 2015-present.
• Peninsula Gallery, San Mateo, California; March 2016-January 2017.

Awards

• Honorable Mention for “Emerging Buck,” “Anything Goes!” All Media Exhibition, Coastal Arts League, June 2024.
• Honorable Mention for “Quail Covey," “9th Annual Animal Kingdom Exhibition,” June 2024. Jurors: Chris and Valerie Hoffman, Fusion Art.
• Artistic Recognition for "Quail Covey," acrylic inks on paper, "2024 Animals Exhibition, " Art & Color Magazine, Winter 2024. Juror: Virginia Bayes, editor Art and Color 365 Magazine
• Artistic Recognition for "Quail Shadows," acrylic inks on paper, "2023 Abstracts Exhibition, " Art & Color Magazine, Fall 2023. Juror: Virginia Bayes, editor Art and Color 365 Magazine.
• Best in Show for "Deer Totem," watercolor, "5th Anniversary Art Exhibition", Palm Springs, CA; November 2020-October 31, 2021. Juror: Chris Hoffman, Fusion Art.
• Honorable Mention for "Moonlit Crow," watercolor, "5th Annual Artists Choice Exhibition", Palm Springs, CA; February 2020. Juror: Chris Hoffman, Fusion Art.
• Honorable Mention for "Fallen Leaf Black Bear," watercolor, "Into the Wild International Art Exhibition", Palm Springs, CA; October 2018-January 2019. Juror: Chris Hoffman, Fusion Art.
• Third Place for "Dancing Cranes," watercolor, "The Pacific Art League's 95th Anniversary Exhibition," Palo Alto, CA; September 2017. Juror: Jim Smyth.

Publications

• Art & Color 365 Magazine, "2024 Artist's Choice," Fall 2024.
• Art & Color 365 Magazine, "2024 Animals Exhibition," Winter 2024.
• Art & Color 365 Magazine, "2023 Abstracts and Semi-Abstracts Exhibition," Fall 2023.
• Southwest Art Magazine, "Portfolio: Golden State Artists," November 2019.
• Southwest Art Magazine, "Off the Easel: New Works 2018," April 2018.
• Southwest Art Magazine, "Art of Watercolor," November 2017.
• Salinas Californian, newspaper article, "Figurative Abstracts: Works by Amy Storey Rattner are on Exhibit at Sunset Center,"September 11, 2015.
• Palette Magazine, Issue 49 "Creating Whimsical Paintings Is a Serious Business: Amy Rattner," March 2014.